Apple tree named ‘El Niño’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinctive variety of an apple tree, named ‘El Niño’ characterized by fruit color having intense dark red stripes over a bright red background.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The entire disclosure of the provisional application is considered topart of the disclosure of the following application and is herebyincorporated by reference herein.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Malusdomestica.

Variety denomination: ‘El Niño’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘El Niño Gala’ was originally found by Steven A. McDonald as a bud sportof a tree growing in a cultivated area in his orchard, commonly known asRoyal T Farms, 13321 Rd I SW, Royal City, Wash. The original plantoriginated as a bud sport that had been grown by grafting ‘Royal Gala’(expired U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,121) budwood to a Mark rootstock in 1991.More specifically, a number of ‘Kidd's Gala’ trees growing on Markrootstock were damaged during a storm. These trees with Mark rootstockwere each budded with ‘Royal Gala’ budwood. The resulting original plantof my new variety grew from one of these ‘Royal Gala’ budwood grafts.The new tree grew unnoticed until 1996 when the distinct red color ofits fruit was apparent.

This new and distinct ‘El Niño’ tree variety has not been observed underall possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in environment such as temperature, lightintensity and day length, without any variation in genotype. However,the distinctive combination of traits set forth in the description belowhave been repeatedly observed in the original tree and in asexuallypropagated progeny and have been determined to be firmly fixed and to bethe basic characteristics of this new tree, which in combinationdistinguishes ‘El Niño’ as a new and distinct variety.

The new variety has been asexually propagated by or at the direction ofSteven A. McDonald by grafting onto Emla 26 rootstock. Asexualpropagation has been performed at the Royal T Farms in Royal City, Wash.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The ‘El Niño’ variety is distinguished from other apple varieties due tothe following unique combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. Achieves excellent fruit color with intense dark red stripe        over a bright red background.    -   2. Color is consistent on applies throughout the tree.

The following detailed description is from observations of the original‘El Niño’ tree and from observations of approximately seven year oldasexually propagated ‘El Niño’ progeny that were observed growing in acultivated area in Royal City, Grant County, Wash. Certaincharacteristics of this variety, such as growth and color, may changewith changing environmental conditions (e.g., light, temperature,moisture, nutrient availability, or other factors). Color descriptionsand other terminology are used in accordance with their ordinarydictionary descriptions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.Color designations are made with reference to The Royal HorticulturalSociety (RHS) Colour Chart.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 shows the fruit on one of the new ‘El Niño’ Gala apple trees.

FIG. 2 shows the fruit on a ‘Royal’ Gala apple tree taken at the sametime as the photograph of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows blooms on one of the new ‘El Niño’ Gala apple trees.

FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary fruit of the new variety at harvestmaturity on Aug. 29, 2006, showing intense full color with darkerstripes.

FIG. 5 illustrates fruit of the new variety and other identified Galacultivars at harvest maturity on Aug. 29, 2006. Specimens were obtainedfrom the original tree of the new ‘El Niño’ variety from an adjacentRoyal Gala tree, and from the other selections from orchards locatedwith an 18 mile radius of the original tree of the new variety withsimilar maturity dates.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The fruit of ‘El Niño’ trees exhibits a size and shape that is typicalof ‘Royal Gala’, but has intense dark red stripes over a bright redbackground skin color. ‘El Niño’ is usually colored by 90-100% redstripes and background. It should be noted that colors may vary, forexample, due to lighting conditions at the time the photographs aretaken. Therefore, color characteristics of this new variety should bedetermined with reference to the observations described herein, ratherthan from the photographs alone.

-   Scientific Name: Malus domestica ‘El Niño’.-   Parentage: Bud sport of ‘Royal Gala’.-   Botanical description:-   Tree:    -   -   Vigor.—Slightly weaker growth habit compared to, ‘Royal            Gala’. Fruit grows in spurs and short darts at close            intervals across the limb. ‘El Niño’ has about a 85% growth            vigor compared to ‘Royal Gala’ and Golden Delicious.        -   Overall shape.—Conical, trained to a central leader.        -   Height.—Height of the observed progeny was about 12 feet.        -   Width.—Overall spread of the observed progeny trees was            about 7 feet.-   Trunk:    -   -   Trunk bark texture.—Medium smooth to smooth.        -   Caliper.—Original tree 4 inches, measured about 1 foot above            ground.        -   Color.—Tan-Brown, from the Greyed-Orange Group RHS N170A.        -   Lenticels.—Present, moderate in number, medium small in size            averaging 5-9 mm×1 mm. Dark brown from the Greyed-Orange            Group RHS 165A.-   Branches:    -   -   Branch pubescence.—Light pubescence on one year growth.        -   Branch lenticels.—Quantity: Medium density. About 12 per            square inch. One-year old branches: Color: Brown, from the            Greyed-Orange Group RHS N177A. Lenticels: Present and            moderate in number, elongated, averaging 0.3×1.5 mm in size.            Color is white. Two year old branches: Color: Brown, from            the grey brown group RHS N199C. Lenticels: present and            moderate in number, averaging 0.65×1.5 mm in size. Color is            yellow white RHS 158C.-   Internodes: Average internode length in one-year-shoot about 1⅛    inches.-   Bearing: Arranged opposite with 8-16 leaves per one year old shoot.-   Cold hardiness: Observed in Royal City, Wash., having a zipcode that    places this location in USDA Zone 6b/7a.-   Leaves (Observations from typical leaves):    -   -   Form.—Medium long, oval, abruptly pointed.        -   Texture.—Leathery.        -   Sheen.—Bright.        -   Length.—About 4½ inches to about 6 inches, averaging about            5½ inches.        -   Width.—About 2 inches to about 3 inches, averaging about 2.5            inches.        -   Thickness.—About 0.004 inch to about 0.006 inch, averaging            about 0.005 inches.        -   Petiole.—About 1.5 inches long; about 0.105 inch in            diameter. Color of petiole is length green, greyed green            group RHS 196A.        -   Margin.—Crenate (bi-serrate).        -   Tip.—Acute.        -   Leaf color.—Upper surface is green, green group RHS 137B.            Underside of leaf is green. Vein color is green, green group            RHS 139D.        -   Stipules.—Two stipules in opposite arrangement; lanceolate            shape; average 2.5 mm×10 mm in size.        -   Pubescence.—Present on under surface, moderate to heavy.-   Flowers:-   General: ‘El Niño’ attains full bloom 1 to 1½ days later than ‘Royal    Gala’ in Grant County, Wash., with noticeably less “rat-tail” bloom    on 1 year wood. As blooms open, the petals and spur leaves have a    skinny, weak appearance with red pigment on the inside and outside    of the petals. As the blooms continue to open, the petals and leaves    are more similar to ‘Royal Gala’ and ‘Gale Gala’, except the petals    are more reddish or pink. ‘El Niño’, thus far, has been much easier    to blossom thin with lime sulphur than ‘Royal Gala’.    -   -   Size.—Medium size, typical flower measuring about 37 mm            across.        -   Bud length.—15 mm.        -   Bud diameter.—10 mm.        -   Petals.—Five petals per flower; about 0.6 (to slightly            larger) inch long and 0.5 to slightly smaller) inch wide.        -   Stamen.—14 stamens, each about 5 mm long.        -   Pistils.—Stigma: About 7 mm long; 10 styles.        -   Sepals.—About 7 mm long and about 5 mm wide.        -   Bloom season.—In 2006, full bloom was observed in Grant            County, Wash. on Apr. 28, 2006.-   Fruit (Unless otherwise noted, from observations of a limited number    of typical fruit in Grant County, Wash.):    -   -   Size.—Medium to medium small, about 3 inches long and about            2⅞ to 3 inches across; average size of about 2¾ to 2⅞ to 3            inches.        -   Form.—Oblique to ovate (round conical).        -   Cavity.—Average width is 3.2 cm. Average depth is 1.5 cm.        -   Basin.—About 0.4 to 0.5 inch deep and about 0.75 inch wide.        -   Skin appearance.—Smooth.        -   Stem.—Medium in length, typical average observed in August            of about 0.8 inch to about 1.0 inch long and 0.125 inch in            diameter. Stem is clubbed at the spur attachment.        -   Locules.—Five.        -   Lenticels.—Moderate in number at the basal end and becoming            numerous in number at the apex end. Size range of 0.3-1 mm            in diameter. White.        -   Color.—General Color Effect: Dark red distinct stripe over            red background over typically 95% to 100% of the surface.            Dark red “chimera” over red under-stripes. Little ground            color shows at harvest. As the ground turns from pale green            to yellow in storage, the dark red pigment softens slightly,            but remains distinctively dark red. Color is consistent            throughout the tree. Striped over color is from the greyed            purple group RHS 183A over RHS N34 of the orange red group.            Where undercover is present, it appears to be yellow RHS 8A.            Color development is slow, with the fruit appearing similar            to ‘Royal Gala’ through July with a very dramatic color            change the final 7-10 days before harvest. Color stability            is excellent.        -   Russetting.—About 10% of fruit have varying degrees of stem            bowl Russett.

Table 1 below shows a comparison table of average chroma and hue asmeasured by a Minolta colorimeter of the Gala cultivars illustrated inFIG. 5 at harvest maturity on Aug. 29, 2006. The patent status of thefive other varieties mentioned in Table 1 is set forth in Table 2 below.

TABLE 1 ‘El ‘Olsen- Nino’ ‘Simmons’ ‘Baigent’ ‘Gale’ two’ ‘Royal’Average 23.2 21.1 36.1 32.9 39 58.8 Hue Average 35.6 39.6 40.8 44.3 40.937.5 Chroma

TABLE 2 U.S. Patent Status ‘Royal Gala’ PP 4121 ‘Olsentwo Gala’ PP 9681‘Baigent Gala’ PP 10016 ‘Gale Gala’ PP 10114 ‘Simmons Gala’ PP 10840

-   Core: Core Line Attachment: medium.    -   -   Core Position.—Medium.-   Cell: Tufted: yes, lightly.    -   -   Cell shape.—Round.-   Tube: Funnel shaped.-   Sepals: Downy.-   Stamen position: Medium.-   Axis: Axile and closed.-   Seed: Number: one per cell.    -   -   Shape.—Obtuse.        -   Color.—Dark brown, RHS 166A.-   Fruit properties at maturity (Based on 30 fruit tested in August    2005).    -   -   Firmness.—7.5 to 9 kg, averaging about 8.25 kg. Soluble            solids: About 12-15%, averaging about 13.5%.        -   Flavor.—Typical of ‘Royal Gala’.        -   Juiciness.—Similar to ‘Royal Gala’.        -   Aroma.—Mildly aromatic, similar to ‘Royal Gala’.        -   Texture.—Smooth and snappy crisp at maturity.        -   Color.—Light yellow group RHS 11D. A very light purple halo            of color just beneath the skin to a maximum depth of 2 mm,            RHS 185D.        -   Flesh.—Light yellow, RHS 11D. A very light purple halo of            color just beneath the skin to a maximum depth of 2 mm, RHS            185D.-   Fruit production: First picking date in 2005 in Grant County, Wash.    was about Aug. 18, 2005. Average production about 90 pounds per    tree.-   Storage: Fruit remains fresh at room temperature for 10 days, and    can be stored up to six months in cold storage (34° F.).-   Usage: 92% fresh pack, 8% processor.-   Fruit weight: Typically, 165-195 grams.-   Horticultural characteristics—‘El Niño’ is similar to other Gala    strains insofar as I have observed for mildew and pest    susceptibility, frost tolerance, harvest timing, stem bowl cracking    and sunburn. It's weak growth habit requires careful nutrition    management.

1. A new and distinct variety of apple tree named ‘El Niño’substantially as illustrated and described.